Cylinder with choke relieving means for printing press delivery mechanism



July 8, 1958 c. s. CRAFTS 2,842,360

CYLINDER TH CHOKE RELIEVING MEANS FOR PRINTI PRESS DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed June 29, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Curtis 5. Crafts July 8, 1958 s. CRAFTS 2,842,360

3 CYLINDER WITH KEI RELIEV MEANS FOR CHO PRINTING PRESS DELIVERY E HANISM Filed June 29, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Im/e mor Curtis 5 Crafts Zulu, fig u ldww I Gigs.

July 8, 1958 c. s; CRAFTS CYLINDER WITH CHOKE 'RELIEVING MEANS FOR PRINTING PRESS DELIVERY MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 29, 1954 Inventor m r C S m m C c. s. CRAFTS CYLINDER WITH CHOKE RELIEVING MEANS FOR July s, 1958 PRINTING PRESS DELIVERY MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v Filed June 29, 1954 Inventor Curtis 5. Crafts United States Patent CYLINDER WITH CHOKE RELIEVING MEANS FOR 1\l/IRINTING PRESS DELIVERY MECH- Curtis S. Crafts, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Miehle-Goss- Dexter, Incorporated, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application June 29, 1954, Serial No. 440,048

7 Claims. (Cl. 270-50) The present invention relates to printing press delivery mechanisms and more particularly to ,a cylinder for handling severed products. I

Printing presses, and particularly magazine presses, include mechanism at the output end for receiving the printed webs, for cutting them into sections, and for folding the sections into small booklets or signatures for depositing on a suitable delivery belt. During this process the severed products must be passed from one cylinder to the next by suitable transfer elements such as pins, jaws or grippers. In a conventional press the products must be transferred as many as four to six times in traveling from the cutters to the delivery belts. Since modern printing presses are capable of turning out from 25,000 to 50,000 products or more per hour, depending upon the type of press, it is evident that the delivery mechanism must operate-at extremely high speed and that the producthandling elements, which are synchronouslydriven by'cams or the like, must operate with extreme precision. Occasionally for some reason, for example due to breakage of an individual product-handling element, a single product may fail to pass as intended from one cylinder-to the next. Such product is likely to cause a sudden crumpling and wadding of paper which chokes the space between adjacent cylinders. Even'when the choking is noted by an alert operator, severe dam-age may result since the printing press cannot be stopped instantaneously. Pressing the emergency stop button brings a modern press to a halt in approximately 20-40 revolutions, but even in this short interval the choking will be aggravated by several additional products. Because of the extreme pressure resulting from a choke, certain elements of the folder are so highly stressed that serious damage to the machine may occur. The high cost of repairs and the loss of production suificiently attest to the seriousness of the problem.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a product-handling cylinder which avoids damage to a folder resulting from a choke by permitting passage of products which have become wadded or bailed. 'It is' a related object to provide a producthandling cylinder which relieves conditions which would normally result from a choke before severe stresses developwhich might cause damage to the folder.

' Itjiis an'otherbbject to provide a product-handling cylinder; :wihichf contains product-handling mechanism but which, nevertheless, is capable of relieving incipient choking. "1

It is a further object to provide a product-handling cylinder having a choke relieving feature but in which accurate and consistent positioning of the products relative toa timing vpulley is'assured. It is still another objectto provide a cylinder of the above type which is capable-of operating eifeotively over the entire range of press operating speed.

,; Finallyfit isan object to provide a product-handling cylinder which insures against damage but which is,

nevertheless," "i expensive.v to'construct, which doesnot r Patented July 8, 1958 require any more attention or maintenance than conventional product-handling cylinders, and which affords easy access to the internal operating mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the attached detailed description, and upon reference to the drawings in which:

Figure l is a general side view, partially diagrammatic, of a delivery mechanism employing a product-handling cylinder constructed in accordance with the present invention. I

Fig. 2 is an end view in partial section of the improved product-handling cylinder.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the cylinder shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows the cylinder body having a central portion of reduced size. I

Figs. Site 8 arefragmentary sections taken along c'orrespondingly numbered section lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 9 is a perspective showing, in partial section, of three of the cylinder plates employed in the producthandling cylinder. Fig. 10 shows passage of wadded or deformed products between the cylinders.

. While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be ,understood that vI do. not intend to limit the invention to such embodiment but, on the contrary, intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions and uses which are included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

, Turning now .to the drawings, Figure. 1 shows a mechanism 20 for cutting and folding products or signatures and. for delivering them to two delivery belts 21, 22. At the night-hand or input end of themechanism is a set of associated webs 23, which are fed between a male cutting cylinder 24 and a female cutting cylinder 25. Mounted onthe cutting cylinder 24 are knives26 which register with cutting bars 27 on the female cylinder. As the products are severed they are picked up by sets of pins 28.

From, the cutting cylinder. the severed products are passedto a collecting cylinder 30 having sets of 'pins'31 with interspaced tucker blades .32. The collecting cylinder picks up the severed productsby means of the pins 31 and carries them around for transferring to two jaw cylinders 40, 41 having sets of'jaws .42, 43, respectively, into which the products are tucked. Associated with the jaw cylinder 40 is a timed feed fulley 44 which feeds the products from the jaws to a delivery cylinder 45 having grippers 46, the operation of the feed pulley being well known in .the art. A slitter 47.divides the products prior to deposit upon a delivery belt 48. Similarly, the products from the jaw cylinder 41 are fed by means, of a timed feed pulley 52 to a delivery cylinder 50 having grippers 51. The products are slit by a slide 53 prior to being deposited ona delivery belt 54. I

For a' further discussion of the operation of the delivery arrangement shown in Figure 1, reference is made to copending Hilgoe application Ser. No. 387,009, .filed October 19, 1953. It will be understood that means are provided for driving all of the cylinders at press speed}? except that the delivery cylinders 45, 50 have a peripheral speed which is approximately 35% less than press speed in order for the grippers to accept the folded edge of the product which is being fed by timing pulleys and also to decelerate the products prior to delivery on the delivery belts.

Turning attention to the jaw cylinder 40 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, means are provided within the cylinder for operating the sets of jaws 42. Each set of jaws includes a tionary jaws or abutments 63 which are fastened in place by screws 64. For the purpose of oscillating the arms 61, a cam shaft 65 is provided having spaced earns 66 which engage individual cam followers 67. The cam followers arevpressed toward the cams by respective springs 68.

As more fully discussed in the above-mentioned application Ser. No. 387,009, means are provided for rotating the cam shaft 65 in synchrouism with the jaw cylinder. Such means preferably consists of a sun and planet gear arrangement in which the sun gear is held stationary relative to the press frame and in which planet gears, for example 69 in Fig. 3, are directly connected to the respective cam shafts. As a result, the jaw blades 60 open to release a product at one point in the peripheral path of movement and close to pick up a subsequent product at another point, thetiming being determined by the shape of the cam and by the phasing of the stationary sun gear.

In accordance with the present invention, the jaw cylinder 40 has a body with a center portion of reduced size, the surface of the cylinder being provided with plates which are arranged to yield inwardly to provide clearance space for any products which have become wadded or deformed.

In the present embodiment the cylinder body, which is shown in perspective in Fig. 4 without any attached mechanism, includes two rims 75, 76 and a center portion 77 of reduced size. The jaw-operating mechanism previously described is recessed within the cylinder body on a longitudinally extending subframe 78 which is firmly secured to spaced pads 79 by means of bolts 80 (Fig. 2).

Pivotally mounted on the rims 75, 76 of the cylinder body are a set of cylinder plates 81, 82, 83. A corresponding set of plates 84, 85, 86 are provided on the cylinder in diametrically opposite locations, as indicated. All of the plates have a curved outer surface so that when the plates are in their normal positions shown in Fig. 2, they form a substantially complete cylindrical surface. The plate 81, by way of example, includes a curved outer surface 90, end portions 91, 92 and a series of interconnecting ribs 93 cast integrally on its underside. Such ribs are for the purpose of rigidifying the plate in both direc tions without adding appreciably to its weight.

For the purpose of pivotally supporting the plate 81 between the rims 75, 76 of the cylinder body, pivot pins 94, 95 are provided arranged along a common axis adjacent the front edge of the plate. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the pivot pin 94 is supported in a groove 96, which is formed in the periphery of the rim 75. The pin is maintained in place by a cooperating segment'97 which is anchored to the rim by means of bolts 98. The cylinder plate is urged outwardly by means of a series of coil springs 100, which are seated on the cylinder body and which bear against suitable sockets 101 along the trailing edge of the plate. These springs urge the plate to a position in which it defines a portion of the cylindrical surface during normal operation by holding it against arcuate stop members 102, 103, which are bolted to the rim of the cylinder by bolts 104. Referring to Fig. 6, the member 102 has an overhanging lip 105 which registers with an arcuate groove 106 formed in the cylinder plate. This not only holds the cylinder plate in a precise position, but in combination with the springs 100, insures that the portion of the cylinder surface immediately following the jaws has the desired radius under all normal operating conditions. The pressure required to displace the plate against the force of spring pressure is, at the spring radius, preferably on the order of 960 lbs. When the present cylinder rotates at 2000 R. P. M. a force on the order of 7000 lbs. is needed to displace the plate against the combinedcentrifugal and spring forces. As a result the cylinder operates as a rigid cylinder under normal conditions; yet is capable of instant release under choking conditions.

Fastened to the forward edge of the cylinder plate 81 are the stationary jaws 63. Interspaced between. the stationary jaws 63 are clearance grooves 110 which permit 4 passage of the grippers on the delivery cylinder 45. During normal operation the product indicated at 111 (Fig. 2) has its folded leading edge held between the blades 60 and the stationary jaws 63, with the product along the surface of the plate 81 for engagement by the timed feed pulley 44.

Prior to discussing the operation of the plate 81 under choking conditions, more detailed reference will be made to the plates 82, 83 and 85, 86. These plates are of the same general construction, the only difference being that the plates 83, 86 which immediately precede the jaws are provided with grooves 112 which register with the grooves (see Fig. 3) to provide further clearance for the grippers in the delivery cylinder. The plate 86 shown in Fig. 3 will be taken by way of example. The plate 86 has a curved outer surface 120, and end walls 121, 122 which are joined by a series of reinforcing ribs. Arranged adjacent the forward edge of the plate are pivot pins 123, 124. The pivot pin 123 is supported in a suitable groove 125 formed in the rim of the cylinder (Figs. 2 and 7) and is held in place by a clamping segment 126 which is secured by bolts 127.

To define the normal operating position of the plate 86, arcuate stop members 128, 129 are provided at each end. of the cylinder, being fastened to the rim of the cylinder by suitable screws 130. The stop member 128 has an arcuate lip 131 which overhangs the edge of the plate. However, since the plates 82, 83 and 85, 86 do not support products for engagement by the timed feed pulley, they are recessed slightly relative to the plates 81, 84 and are lighter in construction. The plate 86 is pivoted outwardly against the stops by means of springs 132 suitably supported on pedestals 133 on the inside surface of the cylinder rims. Only two springs are required, rather than the entire series provided for plate 81, since they are not called upon to resist any appreciable inward force. They may, for example, exert a force on the order 015 116 lbs. at the spring radius. Inv the present cylinder at 2000 R. P. M. a force on the order of 900 lbs. is needed to displace the plate against centrifugal and spring forces.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that there is clearance space under all of the plates 81-86, permitting such plates to be depressed inwardly about their pivots through a. rather large angle.. Adequate head room is provided over the jaw-operating mechanism since such mechanism is compact and since the sub-frame which carries it is seated well inwardly on the cylinder body.

The operation of. the cylinder in clearing a choked condition is illustrated in Fig. 10. As stated above, a primary cause of choking. is the failure of one of the products to transfer in the normal fashion, with the result that such product stripsotf the successive products to form a hard, crumpled wad of paper which cannot get through the narrow space between adjacent cylinders. Such a wad of paper is indicated at 134. In the present device there is no chance for damage to occur to any associated parts of the folder due to a choke as the wad of paper is simply passed between the cylinders with appropriate yielding of the plates 81-86. Since the clearance required topass the deformed product is provided automatically by the inward depression of the trailing edge of one of the cylinder plates against the spring and centrifugal force, the initiating cause is corrected before the situation becomes severe.

Because of the high speed of rotation of the cylinders and because of the ditficulty of recreating the conditions artifically it is difiicult to tell precisely what occurs under choking conditions. It is clear, however, that when a sizable wad 134 is'formed, one of the plates, e. g., 81 in Fig. 10, pivots inwardly through a substantial angle to pass the wad. Since a choking condition may occur at any point about-the'periphery of a given cylinder, it is notable that in the present device the depressable plates 81 -86- cover substantially the entire surface of the cylposition.

inder and clearance is provided under all of the plates so that choking may be relieved at nearly any point. While it is true that the pivot pins which support the plates are firmly mounted and cannot yield, experience has shown that a rigid mounting for the pivot pins is desirable. Not only does this provide greater simplicity, but it tends to insure that the plates are positively positioned for efiieient handling of the products. It appears that upon formation of a wad of paper, such as indicated at 134 in Fig. 10, the wad tends to slide down hill on the curved surface of the plate in a direction away from the pivot pin.

Not only does the present arrangemenfreduce 'the possibility of a dangerous and costly choke, but it results in a number of other practical advantages. The jaw-operating mechanism may,for example, be fully exposed for service or removal simply by removing the bolts which hold the plate stops, following which the overhanging plate may be swung outwardly to aclear Orifdesired, any one of the plates may be removed by removing the plate stops and the segments which retain the pivot pins. Although the resulting cylinder is of lighter construction than cylinders conventionally employed, the construction and mounting of the plates 81, 84 insures that each product is properly positioned for engagement by the timed feed pulley over theentire range of operating speeds.

While the invention has been described in connection with a jaw cylinder, it will be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto and that the construction of the cylinder body, as well as the construction and mounting of the depressable plates, is readily adaptable for use in other cylinders of the delivery mechanism. In a practical case one cylinder, equipped as described above, serves to provide protection to each of the cylinders which it engages.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a printing press delivery mechanism having a series of cylinders for transferring severed products, a product-handling cylinder which comprises a rotatably mounted cylinder body, a series of product-handling elements longitudinally spaced along the surface of the cylinder and mounted for movement between a productengaging and a product-releasing position, means for operating said product-handling elements in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder, product supporting means arranged longitudinally adjacent said producthandling elements and having a curved surface for defining the outer surface of said cylinder, said means being pivoted at its leading edge about a longitudinal axis and free of obstruction so as to be depressible inwardly of the cylinder through a range adequate to provide clearance for choked products, stops for defining the outward limit of movement of said means, and biasing means for biasing said supporting means outwardly against said stops, said biasing means being so constructed and arranged and said product-handling cylinder being so spaced with respect to the adjacent cylinder that the product supporting means remain solidly seated on its stops for all normal operation and is depressed inwardly only upon occurrence of a choking condition.

2. In a printing press delivery mechanism having a series of cylinders for transferring products, a producth-andling cylinder which comprises a cylinder body, said cylinder body having rims and center portion of reduced diameter between the rims, a series of product-handling elements longitudinally spaced along the surface of the cylinder, means for operating said product-handling elements in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder for picking up severed products at one point and for releasing such products at another point, a cylinder plate extending longitudinally in said cylinder forming the surface of the cylinder between the rims, a pivot pin at each end of the cylinder plate for bodily pivoting of said plate about an axis adjacent the leading edge of said handling elements longitudinally spaced along the sur face of the cylinder, means for operating said producthandling elements in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder for picking up severed products at one point and for releasing such products at another point, a cylinder plate extending longitudinally in said cylinder between said rims, a pivot pin at each end of the cylinder plate for pivotally joining the end of the plate with the adjacent rim of the cylinder forbodily pivoting of said plate about an axis adjacent the leading edge of the plate, spring means for urging said plate outwardly, a stop at each end of said plate mounted on the adjacent rim of the cylinder and overlapping the end of the plate for positively limiting outward movement thereof in response to spring pressure and centrifugal force while permitting collapsing movement of the plate inwardly toward said center portion of reduced diameter to provide clearance for choked products, said biasing means being so constructed and arranged and said product-handling cylinder being so spaced with respect to the adjacent cylinders that the cylinder plate remains solidly seated on its stops for all normal operation and is depressed inwardly only upon occurrence of a choking condition.

4. In a printing press delivery mechanism having a series of cylinders for handling severed products, a product-handling cylinder comprising, in combination, a cylinder body, said cylinder body having rims and a center portion of reduced diameter between the rims, a series of product-handling elements longitudinally spaced along the surface of the cylinder, a cylinder plate extending longitudinally adjacent said product-handling elements and having a curved outer surface, means including pivots for pivoting said plate on said rims for bodily movement about an axis adjacent the leading edge thereof, stop means for positively limiting the outward movement of the plate under centrifugal force, operating mechanism under said plate for operating said producthandling elements in synchronism with the rotation of said cylinder, said operating mechanism extending longitudinally of the cylinder and recessedly seated on the central portion thereof to provide head space for permitting substantial inward movement of the cylinder plate upon choking of said products, and springs seated on said cylinder body and pressing outwardly against the cylinder plate with such force that the plate remains solidly seated against said stop'means during all normal operation of the cylinder.

5. In a printing press delivery mechanism having a series of cylinders for handling severed products, a product-handling cylinder comprising, in combination, a cylinder having a center portion of reduced diameter, a series of product-handling elements longitudinally spaced along the surface of the cylinder, a cylinder plate extending longitudinally adjacent said product-handling elements and having a curved outer surface, means including pivots for pivoting said plate for bodily movement about an axis adjacent the leading edge thereof, stop means for positively limiting the outward movement of the plate under centrifugal force, a cam shaft extending longitudinally below said plate and having a series of cams spaced inwardly therefrom, cam followers on said product-handling elements for operating the same, said cam shaft being mounted on the center portion of the cylinder under said cylinder plate, and springs seated on said cylinder body and pressing outwardly against said 7 cylinder plate with. such force that the plate remains solidly seated against said step means during allnormal. operation of' the cylinder.

,6. In a printing; press delivery mechanism having a series of cylinders for transferring severed products, a product-handling cylinder comprising a cylinder body having rims, a central portion of reduced diameter between the rims, the surface of said cylinder being formed of a series of curved cylinder plates arranged generally edge-to-edge and forming a substantially continuous cylindrical surface, each of said plates being pivoted to the rims for bodily pivoting movement about an axis adjacent the leading edge of the plate, each of said plates having stops mounted on the rims for defining a normal position for the plate, a series of product-handling elements longitudinally spaced along the surface of the cylinder, for picking up products at one point and for releasing them at another, operating means for the product-handling elements, said operating means being mounted on the portion of said cylinder of reduced diameter and spaced radially inward from the adjacent cylinder plates so that choking at any point on the cylinder may be, relieved by inward movement of one 'or more of the cylinder plates, and springs seated on said cylinder body and pressing outwardly against said cylinder plates with such force that the plates remain solidly seated against said stops during all normal operation of the cylinder.

7.'In aa printing press delivery mechanism having a series of cylinders for transferring severed products, a product-handling; cylinder. which comprises a rotatably mountedcylinder body, a series of product-handling elements including, movable and stationary members longitudinally spaced along the surface of the cylinder, means for operating; said elements in synchronism with the totation of-the cylinder, a curved plate forming a portion of the surface of, the cylinder extending longitudinally adjacent to said movable member forming stationary members alongv its leading edge for cooperation with said movable members, said plate being pivoted at its leading edge about a longitudinal axis and depressable inwardly of the cylinder to provide clearance for chokedv References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 237,413 Scott Feb. 8, 1881 1,474,364 Herb Nov. 20, 1923 2,626,592 Anderson May 3, 1927 Quick et al. Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORBECTlON Patent Noo 2,842,360 July 8, 1958 Curtis 5., Crafts It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of November 1958.,

SEAL A ttest:

KARL H; AXLINE Attesting Oflicer ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents 

